What's With The Chinese and Hardship?

[hypoclear]

There is an old saying "Ignorance is Bliss."

 

In many ways this sums up China. I remember reading an article by a PHD professor in China who finally went to Hong Kong after the looseing of the visa there in the Guangdong area. He was so suprised and astonished at the difference there!

 

Here's anothor one.. "How you going to keep'em down on the farm, once they've seen the bright lights of the city?"

 

I had thought of China as more like the late 1800's to turn of the century in their push to modernize and the seeming corruption. Thinbk of the big oil and railroad guys and their brutal treayment of workers and land owners.. but also the end result of a cross continental railroad etc etc.

 

Mark and Bea and Elizabeth

[MarkLuvsShuPing]

Well, I'm glad I vented. It seems to have created a decent discussion.

 

I want to throw out a caveat. Yeah, China has been a bit uncomfortable, (this time around it's the cold and the bed, as always) but I do greatly appreciate many things about it. My wife is a remarkable person and her family reminded me a lot of my old, southern family. "Y'all come back now, ya hear?", was just as meaningful in Chinese as it was with a Georgia accent.

 

Very few people have given me an ugly face in China, I can't say the same about Americans toward Chinese visitors.

 

The differences between East and West make th relationship that much more rich. Yeah, I was cranky when I wrote the original post, but I love my wife and her homeland is where she comes from and reflects in her what I fell in love with.

 

That "Mao Menality" is tough, perserverance through hardship, or a better life comes through hardship, either way, it is true. Nietze said the same thing - That which does not kill us, only makes us stronger.

 

Americans have gotten soft, used to comforts that our forefathers suffered to provide for us. Maybe the Chinese hold on to these things a little longer out of respect for their ancestors. Maybe we could learn a little respect ourselves.

[hypoclear]

That "Mao Menality" is tough, perserverance through hardship, or a better life comes through hardship, either way, it is true.  Nietze said the same thing - That which does not kill us, only makes us stronger.

 

.....  Maybe the Chinese hold on to these things a little longer out of respect for their ancestors.  Maybe we could learn a little respect ourselves.

you can bet the plantation..Mao didn't suffer hardship for a better tomorrow.

 

Just all most all gov officials every where have the best. Can you imagine a world leader inviting people over to the tar paper shack of da commen folk for dinner?

 

As for holding on to tradition.. dumb comes to mind.

I for one sure as heck am not going to pass up a soft bed and warm home to stand on tradition.

 

And from what Bea has seen and experienced.. neither will she! oh well so much for those commies of hardship in their benz's. It's a tough life and someone has to sacrifice.

 

Mark and Bea and Elizabeth

[oregonknl]

In Many aspects the Chinese life is: "anti- liberal" ---stoic... postpone consumption and joy, adhere to rules...

 

In other ways, it is "anti-capitalist" --- do with what you have, make it last --- don't consume too much... turn the lights off, and turn down the heat...

 

Yeah, no doubt, America could learn from all aspects of Chinese Values......... no matter which side of the political spectrum you're on..........

[warpedbored]

I have had many talks with my wife about guanxi. It is not just nice thing to have it is essential. With all the corruption from the police up without it you are screwed. Government workers have liberal spending accounts. If you want to go to a resort for a weekend for free it is a good idea to have good friend who works for the government to take along. Bing is getting ready to take her written drivers license test here. She was telling me that in China she didn't need to take the driving test because she has a friend who works for their equivalent of the DMV. Need a police check done or a copy of your birth certificate in a timely manner? May need to grease a few palms if you don't have good guanxi. It is ingrained deeply into their society.

[hypoclear]

In Many aspects the Chinese life is:  "anti- liberal"  ---stoic...  postpone consumption and joy, adhere to rules...

 

In other ways, it is "anti-capitalist"  --- do with what you have,  make it last --- don't consume too much... turn the lights off, and turn down the heat...

 

Yeah, no doubt, America could learn from all aspects of Chinese Values......... no matter which side of the political spectrum you're on..........

Yes Kim I think we did.. it was called the depression.

 

Now here's one I was speaking with my Aunt after our return and lamenting the cold bath room etc. She said well don't they have those metal rings for your shower so you can hang a curtain around it?

 

Duh!!! Well call me dumb but that was the perfect suggestion. I went and got a long bamboo stick, tied a string to one end and the other on the other wall from the smartly designed and stylishly exposed main drain pipes on the ceiling. Threaded a curtain on it and instantly!! I cut down that whole bath whole shower to a smaller size that we can quickly steam up for a nice cozy shower!!

 

Now this Aunt is 80 years old and has vlive thru most of the 20th centry and here's to her living many many years in to this one. I for one can tell you she has seen that been there and done it and I doubt she would ever give up that big picture window in the full and fully heated kitchen which looks out over the ocean in their Barnstable, Ma home to regress to a simpler, kinder, genteler.. ooopss sorry GW that's your phrase. way of life.

 

She's all for progress and modernaty and even went out and bought a microwave when the first came out.. best darm pop corn you ever ate..! heheh

 

I have to wonder how much of this is what they (Chinese) want or what they have been lead to believe, or simply the residue of having lived thru a time when everythig was scarce.. I. E. their depression/cultural revolution.

 

As for the American system.. certainly we are a consumer orentited society but this also means jobs for people, making those things. We are also a more highly educated society and with seemly more leasure time on our hands.

 

How we choose to use those gifts/advantages is another matter. One thing for certain is whether a Chinese or American in the end we will all be dead.

 

So if you want to going thru life kicking and screaming and fighting change or going with the flow and enjoying your limited time on earth is each person's decision... for my money it seems the USA is the best place to be when making that desicion as it seems limited here in China.

 

There is a new breed of people in China the young educated who embrace change and the new. They are the educated, movers, style concious generation and are contrasted to the traditionalist who favor stabality, tradition etc.. this is from a marketing survy done by a multinational firm.

 

The hardest thing about living here is not understandiong the language, missing out on those everyday snippets of conversation , etc etc is very telling about a place. Just what is it that occupieys their time as they wait for a bus, dine out, walk and talk etc etc. kind of a man in the street pluse of the state of affairs..?

 

Mark and Bea and Elizabeth